protagonist: the sage Yajnavalkya (neti, neti — “not this, not that”) whatever you can point to, conceive, etc., is not real. Nothing is real.

what causes perception of “reality?” desire

renounce desire (passions)

Brahman: desireless, permanent entity

Changdogya Upanishad:

protagonist: Uddelaka

“Tat tvam asi” you are that, that one, the one (you are Brahman)

the essence of persons is atman, essence of reality is brahman

atman/brahman are the same thing

problem is not desire, it is ignorance

renounce ignorance of self-identity

Katha Upanishad

protagonist: Nacheketas

rebukes father for meager fire sacrifice offering (this is simply not done)

“it would have been better if you had never been born,” he dies on the spot and ends up before Yama, lord of death

Yama is not there — violates cultural norm of hospitality; grants 3 wishes

Nachaketas asks for father’s forgiveness, fire sacrifice efficacy, the nature of death

Yama’s answer: there is a path of pleasure, and a path of bliss. fools pursue pleasure, being endlessly locked into Samsara. The wise pursue bliss and escape the Samsaric cycle, but it’s a path, which means you have to go down the path of renunciation.